This FKT is dedicated to my dear Aunt Ruthann. She is going through a tough time in life right now. She is my mothers only sibling and they have been best friends for nearly 7 decades! I think that is just the coolest thing! I thought a lot about my Aunt out on the trail. We all love you so much and we are all pulling for you! God bless you!
I've wanted to do a big project like this for a while. So much goes into it though and I had put it off a bit. The idea originally came when the Arizona Trail was done unsupported. It was now the longest, unsupported FKT in the world! I thought it would be really neat to be the person who could go further than anyone has before. I also knew how hard this would be. Eventually I thought, you need to at least try. I felt called to try. What trail though? I really wanted something that was the longest, but within reason. That really didn't exist. The Ice Age Trail seemed like the best avenue to take. It was longer than I wanted at 1160 miles. The terrain is similar to my home terrain though and I could drive there. It's a legit, national scenic point to point trail travelling across the entire state. It seemed like my best option. Then I started chipping away at all the work. Download the map. Watch a youtube series on thru hiking the trail. Start thinking about what gear is going to work. When is the best time to start? How light can my food be, yet have enough energy to keep going? This whole process started about a half a year before my first step on the trail. I enjoyed the process. It was stressful though as the start date approached. It's all part of the process though and I needed to stick with the plan.
I threw a post up online just asking advice on how I could leave my car near the eastern terminus, and get out to the western terminus. I was blown away with how many people wanted to help me. I originally thought I could take a bus across the state. A woman named LuAnn reached out and said her husband Chuck could help facilitate getting me across the state. A woman named Lisa offered for me to leave my car at her place. Things were starting to line up. Lisa also offered for me to stay at her place the night before I would be shuttled. So I left my car in Sturgeon Bay, Lisa drove me to Green Bay to meet up with Chuck. Chuck then drove me well across the state and we met up with a gentleman named John. He was the last leg and got me out to my hotel in Saint Croix Falls. I then spent 2 nights in the hotel to rest and prepare. These 2 nights were really nice and needed. I don't know if I'll say I was ready, but regardless, it was go time...
Stats:
Starting pack weight-70lbs
Base weight-15lbs
Food-1.75 lbs and 4100 calories per day
Weight loss-20lbs
Total mileage-1176 miles
Total elevation-82621 feet
(watch stats include wrong turns, backtracking, fetching water, finding sleep spots etc.)
Day #-daily mileage/elevation gain/time on feet/average pace
Day 1-34.82mi/2290ft/11:50:13/2.9mph
I got started at 9AM. I also had to hike a little over a mile to get to the start also, but that doesn't count. I took my starting pictures and was on my way. One thing I remember was the terrain seemed hilly. Also having a 70lb pack on your back doesn't help. It was going OK but maybe 2/3 into the day, I was already feeling it. I was having negative thoughts like I was in over my head. I realized how long a month would be. I felt like I wished I could go back in time and not even start. I'm not proud to say that, but it's the truth. I got myself into this mess though and now I need to give it a solid effort. A lot of people helped me out tremendously and I can't let them down without a fight.
Day 2-32.23mi/3599ft/13:21:38/2.4mph
I already realized that the mileage I want to hit, probably isn't going to happen. Yesterday, I was able to ration a couple meals and today I thought I'd ration one also. I will need the food later on since, if I actually finish this, it's going to take me longer than expected. This made me hungry. A feeling I would have to get used to. I didn't feel that good on this day, but just kept moving forward and did the best I could. I have to be in this for the long haul. I had to just keep giving myself a chance.
Day3-30.24mi/2343ft/12:52:04/2.3mph
I started getting some good blisters under the balls of both feet. This usually doesn't happen. I also don't hike this much with this heavy of a pack, and things are just going to happen. I always seem to struggle on day 3. I think reality sets in. My body hasn't adapted yet and is in extreme shock. I really wanted to quit on this day! I remember doing a road walk and I was struggling so bad. I was moving so slow. The blisters were making me limp. It was not good. I checked the weather for tomorrow. They were calling for 40mm of rain! I honestly didn't know if I could handle that at this point. I found a hidden oasis of a sleep spot. I called my wife. I was in trouble.
Day 4-Zero
I had this idea which was brilliant or really dumb. I decided the previous night to zero in place. My tent was in a great spot. I don't know if I could have survived the rain with the heavy pack and everything else I was dealing with. So my idea was you can zero here, sleep and rest all day. You can't eat your food though. You need it later. So that's what I did. I fasted for 36 hours. I was in and out of consciousness all day. I ate no food and sipped on one bottle of electrolyte drink. This certainly wasn't ideal. I feel I did what I had to do to keep surviving though. I knew it was going to extend things for a day, but I couldn't think about that right now. How can I just stay unsupported and last another day? This was how.
Day 5-36.57mi/2320ft/13:51:11/2.6mph
I was wondering how I would feel today after a 36 hour fast. Surprisingly, I felt much better. The rain had stopped and it was time to get back to reality. I made it to a little public park and had my first opportunity to charge my phone and watch. I would do this many times throughout this FKT. In a perfect case scenario, I would get my devices charging, use the washroom, fill up my bottles, throw away trash and then complete any other chores. Sometimes I would even stretch or elevate my legs and rest. I felt like I could justify the time since my devices were being topped up. I knew I would have to do this when I could since I carried only 2, 10000mAh battery banks. It was nice to feel good for a change. I felt fine yesterday but sleeping in your tent all day doesn't really count.
Day 6-31.82mi/1699ft/12:01:56/2.6mph
Unfortunately, it didn't take too long to feel horrible on this day. I was wondering if this was just my new normal? I can't feel this bad for 30ish days. It's too much. What can I do? Anything to trick myself and stay in the game. I even mentally conceded that finishing isn't in the cards for me. At least I tried. I still have to make it further though. Complete half the trail so it looks like you at least gave it a solid attempt. Just keep surviving and see what happens. I wasn't in control at all. I am attempting to be positive, but it's so hard. Just survive another day. And pray for strength, which I did all the time.
Day 7-32.05mi/3186ft/12:56:17/2.5mph
Am I actually feeling alright today? I guess so. Does this mean I'll have more good days? I don't trust that. Just ride the wave. I'm used to the ups and downs, but this trail has been more downs and I hope that turns around. I would make my way into the town of Cornell. It's a small town and was my first real sign of some civilization. I once again stopped in the public park, got things charging and completed some chores. Once I made it through the town, I knew I had tons of road walking ahead of me. Where am I going to sleep? I have no idea. I'll have to figure it out. The trail provides they say. This is the road though. My issue is that I don't want to be found and woken up. So I have to be careful and very selective. I found a spot. Hopefully tomorrow can be another good day and I can maybe gain some confidence.
Day 8-33.94mi/1575ft/12:42:26/2.7mph
Oh boy. This day. So I got up and got moving. Felt alright. Yay! I turned my phone on since I had no idea what turns I had to take on this long road section. It turns on, then shuts off on its own. I repeat, same thing. I tried a hard reset. Nope. Phone will not stay on. What is going on? I eventually come to a T on the road and don't know which way to turn. I take off my heavy pack and try to get this sorted out. No luck. I am trying everything. My phone will not stay on. I spend probably an hour trying everything to fix it. I can't keep going without knowing where to go. I then proceed to throw a little tantrum. Early on, I almost wanted a way off of this trail. Now I have a glimmer of hope and it's going to end like this? I went through all the emotions. I was angry, then sad, then I just accepted it. It just wasn't in the cards for me. At least I tried. I start making the 3 mile walk back into town. I am disappointed but I have to accept it. I am so lucky just to have been able to try. I periodically try to start the phone with still no luck. I give up and get into town. I enter a gas station and ask if there's a place that fixes phones and where the nearest motel is. He said there's no place that'll fix the phone. I try to turn the phone on again, it comes on and everything is normal. Seriously? I quickly got back on course and knew I wanted to stay in the game. This debacle cost me 3 hours and 6 extra miles, but in the scheme of things, it's a small amount of time. I'm really happy I stayed unsupported throughout and could get back on track. No one helped me with my phone and I didn't buy anything in the store. I had weeks of food and my bottles were already full too. I don't like that this happened, but it's reality and part of the story.
Day 9-33.39mi/3120ft/12:44:03/2.6mph
Last night was cold. Before I started this FKT, I looked at the long term forecast. I saw some days in the low negatives. So I brought a light, nylon sleeping bag liner which I used like a bivy. I think it saved me. There were some nights that got down to -5C. I would have to wear all my clothes including rain gear, plus 2 pairs of socks. I would sometimes wake up at 4AM cold, but not in any trouble. I felt great today overall. Am I now gaining some control? The pack still feels like a piano on my back. I'm actually having some fun though. It's still super hard. Those good moments are giving me some confidence. I also know that it's day 9. I'm not even 1/3 done. Keep the faith. Stay positive. Keep surviving!
Day 10-32.55mi/3297ft/13:58:29/2.3mph
This day was the most muddy day on the trail. Even though I started at the end of April, the trail had been overall in pretty good condition. Today I had a very hard time keeping my feet dry. At one point I lifted my leg from some muck and out came my foot with the shoe still in the ground. I'm very lucky though because after today, the trail was in great condition overall. The mud slowed me down but I was able to keep moving. I had a great reset at this picnic table by the lake. There were pit toilets and a dock where I could soak and wash my feet. Normally, I don't tend to take a lot of breaks on the trail. With a heavy pack though, I felt like these little resets made quite a difference. My muscles also became so tight, I'd take a few minutes to stretch the main muscle groups.
Day 11-36.10mi/3389ft/14:09:01/2.6mph
I'm still in control! Very hard, but I'm able to manage this. Today was extra nice because of the A+ smooth trails. The IAT is amazing. There are sections of trail that are so pristine and beautiful and they just keep going and going. People also warned me that the northwest was going to be a lot harder than the south and east. They were right! People also said the north could be very muddy still in April. For me though, it was really just yesterday that was bad. I took full advantage of the cruisy stuff and got in a good rhythm. It's still only day 11. It's so early. Just have to keep being smart, show up every day and see what happens.
Day 12-37.59mi/3035ft/14:07:13/2.7mph
I wanted to get through these 2 river fords the prior day, but that didn't happen. I would often have a goal to do a certain amount of mileage or get to a certain area. That would rarely happen. I would usually be smashed and have to stop short. So I knew I would have to do these river fords in the early morning. The one ford actually had a danger warning from the high water level. I chose to go for it though as that section of trail was not closed, but just had a warning. The other issue was it was below freezing again last night. My tent had frost all over it when I woke up. I decided to take my shoes and socks off for the ford. I have a little towel to dry my feet off after. I made it about half way across and my feet were so cold. Even worse, I had to walk on the frozen grass for a bit after. I threw my pack down on the ground and sat on it. I guess that's one advantage to a big pack. I was in pain and dried my feet off quickly so I could get moving again and warm up.
Day 13-36.88mi/4167ft/13:30:16/2.7mph
Today was great hiking weather! Often I've been wearing my rain jacket for warmth. Especially those cold mornings. Being able to just wear my hiking shirt and have some airflow is so refreshing. I found that during the whole month long FKT, the weather went through some stages. It went from pretty normal and nice to really cold(especially nights). Then the heat wave came(which I'll discuss), then back to pretty nice and normal again. Overall, I can't complain. The weather didn't take me off trail. Those cold nights also make for cooler days which meant I didn't have to drink as much. And other than day 4 rain, I stayed pretty dry the whole time. The weather could have been so much worse and I'm just glad I made it through the little extreme patterns that came in.
Day 14-36.68mi/2700ft/13:47:24/2.7mph
It snowed today! No accumulation, but it really was snowing out. Pretty cool. There was so much double track today. A lot of cross country ski trails. I feel like Wisconsin would be amazing in the winter for cross country skiing. Hiking these trails certainly allowed me to keep moving steadily. I knew I was coming up to another little public shelter that I would take full advantage of. Had my break/reset here and it was great. I guess the hardest part is not taking too long and wasting time. I still have miles to get in. It was so nice to have a place to sit, sort out your things and just take a breath. I'm definitely getting used to feeling decent now. I still can't predict what will happen, when a bad day will come. Until then, ride the wave and make the most of feeling OK.
Day 15-42.92mi/2379ft/13:58:35/3.1mph
Lots of roads today. One thing I've noticed also, the roads are often windy here! Today was my first day to hit over 40 miles. Is 40 the new 30? Early on I struggled to hit 30. Now I'm struggling to hit 40. That's a big improvement though. The pack is slowly getting lighter every single day. I'm way behind on my mileage. At least where I wanted to be in a perfect world. I did know I would have to be a little behind though. It's not easy being OK with it. I'm just doing the best I can though. Every day I survive is a win. Keep them coming.
Day 16-45.12mi/1729ft/14:37:46/3.1mph
Here comes the rain. Nothing like day 4 though. This was very manageable rain. And I have a rain jacket, rain pants and rain gloves. I handled it just fine. This was also the day of the nose bleeds. Usually this happens for a day or 2. Usually it happens earlier though. So much blood and clotting. It's all part of it though and I know it will subside in a day or 2. I also treated the end of this day like my halfway point. I wasn't halfway done in mileage. I was hoping to be halfway done in time and effort though. At this point after the day 4 fast and rationing a meal here and there, I knew I could last up to 31.5 days on trail. I just had to keep moving forward and hopefully things would get easier and I could rack off more miles. Sounds good on paper anyway.
Day 17-36.92mi/2953ft/13:13:41/2.8mph
I made it to a shelter on the trail pretty early in the morning and it even had electricity. Plugged in my phone and watch and did my reset routine. Talked to another hiker there for a bit which was nice. Up to this point I really hadn't talked to too many people. One thing that's tricky on the IAT is doing consistent mileage. It's nice to find the right sleep spot and feel confident about it. So sometimes you are on trail with a large road section coming up. You have to decide to call it early and know you have a good spot, or go risk it and maybe end up doing way more than you wanted. Tonight I called it early. Some extra rest never hurts.
Day 18-49.93mi/3478ft/16:51:00/3.0mph
Today was a warmer day. I did a lot of planning in my head today. Tomorrow is a big day. Bifurcation day. I wanted to set myself up right. My plan was to go a little later and get to this short trail section just before the bifurcation and crash there. Well, I didn't end up finding a sleep spot on the short trail section. A lot of it was exposed and I didn't feel good about it. So I kept going and hit the roads. Now I had to find a sleep spot which isn't always easy. It's late, dark, and I'm getting tired. I really didn't want to do this much in one day this early on. Is what it is though. I found a spot in the bush and tried to get some shut eye. It usually took me at least 30 minutes to calm my legs down and relax. Even then I would often wake up with a pain or cramp. All part of the game.
Day 19-39.74mi/1739ft/12:59:03/3.1mph
Bifurcation day has arrived! I almost can't believe I made it to this point. My plan was to always go west but use the rules on the trail and choose my road connector. I cut straight down the middle and headed towards the Baraboo segment. Now this day wasn't necessarily the most fun. I was on the side of a highway for most of it in a headwind. I made it to Wisconsin Dells which was quite a surprise. After filling up my water bottles out of a lion's head water fountain at a public park, I made my way through a super touristy section. It was so strange being in a concrete jungle. Luckily it was the off season and it wasn't crowded. I crossed the big highway and then found a sleep spot off the road a little bit after that. Today felt like a big milestone. Still lots of road left, but I survived the biggest sections.
Day 20-48.73mi/3481ft/17:36:32/2.8mph
Today was a big day. I made it to a public washroom that had a mirror. I pulled out the disposable plastic razor and shaved my face. Which was not an easy task but I got it done and felt great. I arrived at Devils Lake. Wow. Most beautiful sight on the whole trail I would say. Stunning! I climbed out of there and really noticed how weak I was. I had to stop multiple times. My legs were burning and I was completely gassed. My next big move today was my ferry reroute. Since I'm unsupported, a ferry is a no go. So I took the 20 mile reroute on main roads to get to the other side. I don't think some of the people who live on these roads are used to seeing hikers. Someone called the cops on me. Suspicious person haha. The officer was super nice and let me on my way after I told him the deal. I made it to the other side of the river and connected back on the trail where I could get some sleep.
Day 21-40.43mi/4344ft/14:08:40/2.9mph
Today was hot! Full sun! I was still wearing pants at this point and decided to keep them on so my legs didn't get fried. Not a lot of shade today. Especially on the road. I'm in control but definitely feel very weak. I wasn't taking any risks and would always fill my 3 bottles full every chance I got. With lots of road walking today, I didn't always have a chance to fill up on good water. I drank strategically but I do remember drinking my last bottle knowing a water fountain was a few miles ahead. When I got to that fountain, I drank and drank and drank. This was the most dehydrated I got on trail. It's certainly not a good feeling. I knew beforehand that this is something that could quickly take me off trail. The trail always provided, even if not right away.
Day 22-42.49mi/3550ft/14:32:02/2.9mph
I remember hiking down the trail and seeing a fella doing trail maintenance and trying to fix his machine. I said hello and he asked if I could lift up the machine so he could take the wheel off. I said I'll do my best but I'm extremely weak right now. He got the wheel off and we walked to the parking lot together and chatted for a couple minutes. What a nice guy and he was so proud of the IAT. That was a common theme with people I ran across on trail. I then was going down a paved path and a lady from the 2nd floor balcony yelled down at me and asked me what I wanted to eat and drink. I said thanks for the offer but I'm all good. That definitely happened a few times on trail. It was eventually getting dark and I found what I thought was an OK spot to sleep. I was wrong.
Day 23-43.69mi/1345ft/14:20:58/3.0mph
It stormed last night. Really hard. I woke up around midnight and the winds were crazy. For about 30 or 40 minutes I was sitting up and was bracing my trekking pole using both hands. I was really worried my tent was going to break or something. I said my prayers and just waited it out. It eventually subsided and I was able to get back asleep. Pretty scary though. I knew when I picked the spot last night I was a little exposed. I was enticed though since it was getting dark and the spot was flat grass with a bench. I should have kept going and found something with some coverage. Live and learn. It was another hot day. I believe it got up to 28C. I also got invited to a party. A guy rolled up beside me in a pickup truck and was chatting for a bit. He said he had never met a Canadian before.
Day 24-46.37mi/1834ft/14:32:16/3.2mph
Today was cloudy which I appreciated. My skin has gotten significant sun over the last few days. I had switched to shorts and my short sleeve hiking shirt to get some air. Then your skin is exposed though so sometimes it's a tough call on what to do. I also appreciated all the paved paths today. I was able to get the mileage that I really wanted. I knew I had to slowly keep chipping away at the deficit I created from the early struggles and heavy pack. There have also been lots of public water fountains and washrooms. I haven't even had to filter water lately. I've really been trying to stay on top of my hydration now since it's easier. Now I'm sleeping well, drinking well, just really hungry. I can tell I'm losing a bunch of weight. My body just feels different. It's all worth it in the end!
Day 25-41.50mi/3996ft/14:38:47/2.8mph
Some rain came in this morning. Not too bad though. After the rain subsided it was just very humid. I do remember checking the weather one night during the heatwave and the low overnight was 20C. I had my quilt opened up like a blanket and barely had it over me until the middle of the night. What a contrast to just a bit ago when I had all my warm gear and even rain gear on to try to stay warm enough. That's the thing with something that takes a month long. You're going to run into so much. Luckily, the bugs haven't been a huge issue. I brought a head net but never had to use it once on trail. The sun hoody seemed to do enough. The cold spell kept the bugs away for sure. One less thing to worry about.
Day 26-49.10mi/3845ft/16:13:21/3.0mph
The trail today cut through this alleyway and then over a little pedestrian bridge. The whole area was caution taped off so I had to create my own reroute and go around. I did take a picture of the work being done. It didn't add much mileage at all though. I made it through the town stuff today and then got back to the trails in the bush. I passed a couple of ladies hiking and they quickly caught up to me and asked me what I'm doing. I explained and we had a great chat. A lot of locals section hike bits at a time and many end up finishing all the trail segments and road walks. Very impressive! I remember feeling really good today. I went a little later than planned but I was trying to find the appropriate sleep spot. My body seemed to be OK with it though. I am starting to think about finishing this thing.
Day 27-40.98mi/4452ft/14:30:13/2.8mph
I had a pretty normal morning. Eat my dark chocolate coconut bars for breakfast and then count down the minutes before I can eat again. I noticed my left shin felt a little tight. I was surprised because my body had been feeling OK. I'm not sure what caused the tightness. Most likely just overuse. Go figure. I remember saying to myself that I hope it doesn't turn into anything serious. Well, by the end of the day I could see it swelling over my sock. Uh oh. This is not good. I still have a long way to go here. I'll have to stop early today, elevate the leg on my pack, and just see how it responds in the morning. It really had me worried. The problem is here though and I have to deal with it. I had plans of finishing strong and maybe actually finish in the time of sub 29.5 days which was my original goal. That may be out the window now. I don't really care when I finish though as long as I actually finish. Sleep on it. Reassess in the morning.
Day28-45.73mi/3770ft/15:07:53/3.0mph
Good news. The shin feels better. Swelling went down a little overnight. It's far from a non issue though. I feel it every step. At this point though, I feel like I can manage. I'm just hoping it doesn't get any worse. Yikes. I checked in on the map app and saw there are a couple new trail notifications. The app said there are 2 sections affected by a storm. The dunes segment and point beach segment. On the app it says these are impassable. Often a reroute is given. It wasn't in this scenario though. The storm just happened so it was fresh. I called the IAT Alliance and got a hold of Tiffany who is in charge of updating the app. I said I'll be going through these sections tomorrow and I need to know the official reroutes since they are impassable. She was super helpful and emailed me pictures of the official reroutes which I will include.
Day 29-39.54mi/1079ft/12:59:48/3.0mph
The shin seems to recover a bit overnight. Swelling goes down some. My ankle mobility is becoming less though. It eventually gets to about 25% of what it actually should be. By the end of the day, I am really feeling it. If I stop for water or a break, it just pulsates and screams at me. I am getting worried. I've come this far and was starting to feel pretty good. Now it's back to survival mode. I just need to finish. I don't care if it's pretty. I could tell my right side of my body was compensating some too. I was getting some cramps in my right hip flexor which would slow me down here and there. It's so close you can taste it, but by no means is it in the bag. I'm not even going to relax until I enter the final state park. Then maybe I can soak some of this in and assume I'm going to actually finish.
Day 30-37.02mi/945ft/12:03:33/3.1mph
The shin is getting worse but I've been managing by doing shorter days and mileage. My goal is to finish Sunday before dark. I have more than enough food since I rationed meals early on. The terrain has been very easy. A lot of rail trails, roads and paths. Will this leg keep working and allow me to finish though? I had lots of extra battery bank power at this time so I decided to take my mind off the shin and make a few phone calls. It really did help. I found a sleep spot early tonight as I didn't want to get stuck on a road section. It would mean I would have one more solid day and I should be done. I set my alarm for early AM to get a good start. I went to bed hoping this is my last night on trail. Nothing is guaranteed though.
Finish-41.23mi/984ft/12:52:20/3.2mph
Early bird gets the worm and I am ready to finish. If I can. Yes, shin hurts every step. It's going to take a lot for me not to finish being this close though. I completed my last road walk and then got onto the rail trail. This would take me into Sturgeon Bay and then into the state park. I of course wish I felt better and could finish strong. I am in survival mode though and just need to get to the cairn. I had contacted Lisa and Chuck in case they were able to be there at the end. Even as I entered the state park, it was still so tough. I knew I could be done soon, but the pain wasn't letting up. The trail never made it easy on me and I just had to will my way to the end. It's a crazy feeling knowing you're close and it's all over soon. What a journey! I am so blessed! Lisa and her daughter were there at the end along with Chuck and LuAnn. My Wisconsin family! I stopped my watch and tracker and we took some pics. Lisa had a bunch of watermelon slices so I immediately went to town on those. I feel so fortunate to have people who care enough to meet me at the end like that. It means so much to me! I truly will never forget it.
Thank you:
Praise God!
Paul/Chris/Geda/Cory-You all keep me healthy and I appreciate you!
Ice Age Trail/volunteers-The trail really did blow me away. For a trail thing long, I couldn't have imagined it to be this well maintained. The passion people have about the trail is absolutely amazing. I was often shocked at how beautiful the trail was and how it just kept going and going. Wisconsin has something special here for sure.
Wisconsin drivers-99% of you saw me on the side of the road and got over if you could. You often waved. Those road walks are not easy but having drivers being aware of you and your safety certainly helps. Everybody just seemed so nice.
Mom-Sorry for stressing you out! You've always been so supportive though and it means the world to me.
Dad-You were my angel looking over me and I felt your presence out there.
Casey-You are the friend who shows more interest in my adventures than any other. Casey has been going through a lot recently, but still took my call on trail and we had a great chat. Can't thank you enough for all you've done for me over the years!
Dave-You granted me 5 weeks off work to chase my dreams. Thank you!
Lisa-What an amazing human being! She was such a big part of this journey. She let me keep my car safe at her farm. She fed me and shuttled me to Green Bay. She took care of me when I finished. I spent 2 nights post trail at her place until I was OK to drive back home. I will never forget your generosity and will be forever grateful. I'm honoured to call you a friend:)
Chuck and LuAnn-You were the first one to reach out to me when I made that post asking for advice/help. We met Chuck in Green Bay and he took me most of the way across the state. We had a great conversation and it was a pleasure getting to know you. So glad I got to meet LuAnn at the finish also. They even gave me a shirt, water bottle and a book. Spoiled!
John-Thanks for shuttling me the rest of the way and getting me to my hotel close to the western terminus. I appreciated our conversation and you also spent extra time showing me the cairn and where the trail goes initially. It was a huge help.
Summer-I never got to meet Summer. Which I suppose is a good thing in this situation. She originally offered to shuttle me but I had that taken care of already. She lives mid state and I asked if I could use her as a bail out if anything bad happened. I really thought I was going to have to get bailed out, but I just kept putting it off. I'd update her and she would encourage me to keep going. Thanks!
Sylvie and Brian-Thanks for letting me crash at your place in Sudbury to break up the drive. It really helped and made my trip much safer. I really looked forward to stopping in before I came home.
Jubilee and Maelle-My 2 teenage girls. I truly hope I am showing you what is possible if you have a goal, work towards it, and want it bad enough to follow through with it. Amazing things can happen. Thanks for all the support and cheers. It makes this journey so much more meaningful.
Chantal-You're the one I call when I'm in trouble. You really do give the best advice. Sometimes I know the advice you give me already, but I need to hear you articulate it. Your support is unwavering. I truly could not be chasing these dreams if it wasn't for you. Thank you so much for everything you do for our family and myself. If I'm not stubborn and keep taking your advice, maybe more big future projects are in my future. I think we'll limit it time wise because I really did miss my life. I'm so glad I went for this though and you having my back every step of the way means the world to me.